LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the month of June there were 99 men employed on the Stratiord Main Trunk railway construction works, 68 at the east end and 31 at the west, or Taranaki end. On the Opunake Branch lino there were 35 men employed. Mr. Jas. McLeod, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, has received notification from the New Zealand Rugby Union that the Railway Department will run a special train from New Plymouth not stopping beyond Patea, on the occasion of the third test match at Wellington, providing that tickets equal to 100 first-class fares are guaranteed. Negotiations in connection with the raising of the hydro-electric. loan of £60,000 are referred to by the New Plymouth general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) in his monthly report to the Borough Council. He says: “It is hoped that during the coming month matters should he so far advanced as to permit the first instalment of the loan to be drawn by the council.” Reporting to the New Plymouth Borough Council on the progress of operations at the hydro-electric works, for the month ended August 4, the resident engineer (Mr. R. L. Pearless) states that a small gang has been employed on extending the tramline twelve chains, and general maintenaiice. The electric locomotive, w'hich was put intd commission on July 23, was doing excellent work. Carpenters had been employed erecting an engine shed and also constructing quarters for married men. At tunnel “A” the- placing of 259 additional feet of concrete work was carried out, making a total of 391 feet to date. No. one tunnel was extended 81 feet during the month, making a total of 1737 feet driven from the outlet end.

Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the following cases in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M.:—C. Carter v. J. M. Royce £2 17s, costs £1 4s 6d; N.Z. Iron Ore Smelting Co. v. G. H. Blackwell £5 7s 3d, costs £1 14s 6d; W. K. Morris v. P. Raill £22 7s 6d, costs £3 12s 6d; E. B. Davies v. E. Wooldridge £2 10s 3d, costs £1 3s 6d. At the suit of M. O. Butcher an order was made against E. J. Baker for the payment of £6 9s 6d on or before August 22, default being seven days’ imprisonment. George MoGlashan sought to recover the sum of £l2 16s 6d from William Pratt on a judgment summons, but after the examination of debtor His Worship said he would not make an order. It was stated that debtor was involved to unsecured creditors to the extent of over £lOOO.

“Well, the tradespeople of these parts must be very confiding to allow this man to get in their debt to the extent of £1000,” said Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., in the course of a judgment suminoiiis case heard at the sitting of the New Plymouth Court yesterday. During the ease it was elicited that debtor (a native) owed debts to unsecured creditors aggregating £lOOO. He was examined at .length as to what he had done with the proceeds from the sale of some lands, and it appeared that the money had gone in the purchase and upkeep of a motor car and the purchase of food and clothing. Debtor admitted not having done any. work in the last twelve months Asked if he was prepared to do anything towards a settlement, the native, to the amusement of those present, suggested it would be alright if his children worked and looked after him. The Magistrate did not think it was any use making an order for payment and suggested that the proper proceedings might bo. instituted under the Bankruptcy Act. Writing to the New Plymouth Borough Council a resident suggests that “a serious injury” has been imposed on one of our progressive suburbs by the removal to a certain section at Fitzroy of “a dilapidated one-roomed building.” He said it was occupied by a married man with a family, and he contended it was difficult, to find “another such hovel” in New Plymouth. Its existence had resulted in the depreciation of the value of other properties in the vicinity. The writer enclosed photographs in support of his case, and the illustrations depicted various views of a fair rdzed shed. In reporting on this the borough inspector said the letter was an exaggerated one, and an attack upon an honest working man, and a returned soldier, who was making an honest attempt to find a home for his family without running into debt. The inspector said the charge about depreciation of other property was? discounted by the fact that the shed had been at the present site, or near it, for the past five and a half years. The. family was living under sanitary conditions' and was much better off than many cases that had come under his notice.’ The council resolved that the letter should lie on the table.

Much interest is being taken in the ■formation of the New Plymouth Caledonian Society, and a good attendance is expected at the meeting to be held at the Soldiers’ Club on Thursday next at 8 p.m., for the purpose of appointing officers and settling the rules. It is expected that some members of the Eltham Pipe Band will be present on the occasion.

The Hawera branch of the Veterans’ Association has decided to disband and throw in its lot with the New Plymouth organisation. There are only thirteen of the band of veterans left in the Hawera district.

Eleven bands have entered for the band contest at Thames in October. Bands from as far afield as New Plymouth, Dannevirke, and Whakatane have entered. The entries for the solo classes exceed two hundred. The marching test will be held at the racecourse. Lieutenant Herd, Wellington, will judge.

Oranges are going to be short in supply on the Auckland market (states the .Star). An auctioneer stated to n reporter that, instead of about 12,000 cases the Flora, which was due in port, from the Cook Islands, had only approximately 3000 cases aboard. Just the opposite prevails in regard to supplies of lemons, the market having been rushed with them, with the result that they are selling cheaply. There is a scarcity of other fruit, for which there is keen demand. The potato market ia showing signs of firming up. It is suggested by the executive of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association that the King’s Rugby Cup should be made the trophy for international fixtures, and an effort to find out where the cup is now is co be made. The cup was won by the New Zealand Army team in the inter-services tournament played in the Old Country during the 1919 season. It was personally presented by His Majesty to Janies Ryan, captain, on behalf of the team. As it is a challenge cup it may not be available for further competition, unless challenges come from teams which competed in the inter-services tourney.

The proposed Main Roads Bill was discussed at the meeting of the Hawera County Council on Saturday. The position, the chairman said, might be very serious for them. The road running right through from Waitara to Patea was for the whole distance tar macadam, and if this road was brought under the Government’s scheme the counties who had constructed it may have to pay a tyre or some other fax to make roads for other districts. The councils who put down this road should bo given a credit which would place them on the same basis as other councils who had no roads. That was to say if t.heir road was worth £l5 per chain they should get credit for £l5 and should receive the money, too. They would have to watch the position very carefully, otherwise they might be left in the position of having to pay for roads for those counties which had no proper roads at the present time. It was stated that both Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., and Mr. R. Masters, M.P., werfc taking the matter up.—Star.

A proposal by the New Plymouth Citizens’ Band to hold a series of Sunday night concerts in Everybody’s Theatre was approved by the New Plymouth Borough Council at last night’s meeting. In requesting permission of the council the secretary (Mr. H. R. Cattley) wrote stating that the committee had decided to adopt this course in view of the bad weather having prevented afternoon recitals. The recitals will commence at 8.15 p.m., and the following dates have been arranged: August 14 and 28; September 11 and 25. Proceeds will be devoted to the, band contest fund.

A preliminary announcement of Mr. F. S. Watson’s clearing dale is made in this issue. Full details will be advertised at an early date.